Mink loves it when I do the housework ...

That missing apostrophe on the Housekeeper's Box drives me crazy, but I have yet to think of a good way to add it attractively. And I suppose it gives rise to an interesting image - women in aprons with boxing mitts strapped to their hands.

Buttons

This is my button jar. It is rather pathetic so far, but I hope to build up my button collection gradually. One of the most magical things about visiting my grandparents when I was small was being allowed to empty Granny's button jar out onto the carpet and play with all the buttons. There were some amazing ones - the gold ones with the coat of arms on them from Grandpa's police uniform, the little red ones shaped like boats, the ones with cat pictures on them ... I don't know what happened to the buttons after Granny dies, but I hope they went to a good home.

One day

I keep thinking about this picture that I took in Lyttelton a while ago. It's the dream ... one day when I have money (ha!) I will buy somewhere like this and make it beautiful again. And then write fantastic books while sitting at the window wearing a romantic floaty dress. Or something.

I think I need one of these posters ...

From Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic, based on the original posters produced by the British Ministry of Information in 1939.

Cat treasure hunt

I have a lot of cat things in my house, quite apart from the real cat. I don't notice, usually, but visitors often look around and say, "Wow. Um, you really like cats." And then I realise that I am rapidly turning into the Crazy Cat Lady.

I'm quite comfortable with that.


















And then there's the real one.

Domestic stuff

The house is sparkling! It is so satisfying. Here is the now-clean fridge:

And I did discover the source of the strange smell - kidney beans. Who knew? Now my clean-freakish self can relax and work in the house tomorrow.

I am also looking forward to getting started on some sewing with my new-to-me machine, although I haven't used a sewing machine in years. The last thing I made was this:

I'd like to try a really simple dress, so I'll have to hunt out a pattern ... anyone have any ideas?

Andrea's Magic Vegetable Soup

I may have mentioned my magic soup once or twice ... the super-healthy, super-easy, super-yummy stuff I make at the beginning of each week and then eat for lunch for the next few days? Anyway, thought I might post the recipe here just in case someone else wants to try its magic goodness. It's a broth-y kind of soup, so it's pretty clear. Takes about half an hour to make, including preparation. I like it.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, diced
(Sometimes I also add three or four chopped spring onions, if I've got them)
1 leek, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
5 courgettes, chopped
2 cans of asparagus, drained (you could use fresh, but I'm lazy)
2 litres of hot chicken stock (if you're a vegetarian, you could use vegetable stock, but I like the flavour of chicken stock better. If I want to stretch the soup out during the week, I add more hot stock to it ... you can get away with adding a couple of cups' worth before the flavours thin out too much)
1 400g can of cannellini beans, drained
1 tsp garlic, crushed, fresh or dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Some grated cheese to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the onions, leek and carrots and fry for 5 minutes until they start to soften.
2. Add the chicken stock, cover and bring to the boil. Add the courgettes, asparagus, garlic and beans, then simmer for 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Season to taste.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese! It also works well with a teaspoon of basil pesto and/or sour cream. If you don't want to eat it straight away, letting it sit in the fridge overnight makes the flavours stronger and even more yummy.

The incidental things

Bleh. Am trying to get to 50,000 words by the end of the day, and it's like trying to get the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube. Just one of those days. I was sitting downstairs a little while ago thinking "I have achieved nothing today. Just wasted a whole lot of time." I was just snuggling down into a nice comfy bed of self-pity when I realised that was ridiculous. I achieve a lot of things every day - I just like to concentrate on what I haven't done, because that seems so much bigger and more impressive. The things I do in a day I tend to think of as givens ... of course I do them. I always do. But it's all those 'givens' that add up to a life.

So, if I'm thinking about it from this more positive viewpoint, I can see that today I have:
1) Written 1,500 words
2) Cut a couple of scenes more effectively
3) Finished a piece in my art journal
4) Made breakfast and dinner for my husband
5) Unstacked and restacked the dishwasher
6) Made the bed
7) Vacuumed
8) Cleaned the upstairs bathroom
9) Done two loads of laundry
10) Practised the piano
11) Tidied up downstairs

They're all small, regular things, but doing them is important. So even though I feel low, tired and overwhelmed today, I have achieved something.